The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photoreceptor by depositing a photosensitive layer consisting of a selenium photoconductive material such as As.sub.2 Se.sub.3 or an Se-Te alloy onto a cylindrical aluminum base in a vacuum.
In known methods of producing an electrophotographic photoreceptor, the surface of an aluminum base is ground with a cylindrical or rectangular parallelepiped grinding stone in order to make the surface uniform and enhance the adhesion between the surface and the photosensitive layer. Grinding the surface, however, gives rise to several problems. As shown in FIG. 2, dust 3 may adhere to the aluminum base 1, and when As.sub.2 Se.sub.3 is deposited on the aluminum base 1, a protrusion 21 is produced on the surface of the deposition layer 2. A second problem occurs if an aluminum burr 4 is produced on the base 1, as shown in FIG. 3. Again a protrusion 21 is produced on the surface of the deposition layer 2. A third problem occurs if a flaw 5 is then produced on the base 1 due to the clogging of the grinding stone, as shown in FIG. 4, resulting in depression 22 in the deposition layer 2. These defects 21, 22 in the deposition layer 2 can cause pinholes in the photosensitive layer and a defect in the image produced, such as a white spot.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photoreceptor which is capable of producing a stable aluminum base without grinding with a grindstone, thereby eliminating the above-described problems of the prior art, and which is capable of forming a flawless photosensitive layer by the deposition of a selenium material, thereby reducing defects in imaging.